The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.

6 fictional dangers awaiting the child on the Web, and how to avoid them

'25.01.2020'

Source: Life hacker

From viruses and offensive comments to dangerous experiments and fraud - especially for "Lifehacker" Anton Nesyutin, the head of an online computer school and father of three children, told parents what to watch out for on the Web.

Фото: Depositphotos

1. Insults, bullying

Imagine: you are walking along the street, and towards you, smiling, a grandmother with a dog. And suddenly, catching up with you, she begins to water you with selected curses: she criticizes your hairstyle, clothes, gait, nose shape and generally behaves obscene.

In life, such situations are extremely rare, but on the Internet they happen all the time. And the child uploads a video on YouTube or a photo on social networks, and someone leaves offensive comments under them.

Such messages can greatly upset and hurt the child, as well as lower his self-esteem.

  • What to do

If a child says that they offend him on the Internet, in no case do not answer in the spirit of “Well, what did you want? Be strong, bear it. "

Another answer will be unsuccessful: “Come on, it's just a comment. Nonsense, never mind. " So you will only show that the parent will not bother with such a “trifle” as the experiences of the child.

Be sure to listen. Together, submit a complaint about the comments that upset him, or delete them. Show how to block offenders and add them to the blacklist.

2. Dangerous experiments

You went to work, and the child watched a video about how to make a cannon firing potatoes, or how to conduct experiments with vinegar, and decided to experiment. As a result, a hole in the kitchen table, and the child burned his fingers. It’s good that the apartment is not burned.

Of course, it’s more important for bloggers to make a fun and engaging video than a scientific and serious one. Therefore, they often neglect safety rules and motivate child audiences to do the same. Everything looks great on the screen, but in reality, the child endangers himself and others.

  • What to do

Watch these videos with your child. Pay his attention to safety precautions and to the fact that such experiments can be carried out only by warning parents. Speak in advance what can be done without you (for example, experiments with dissolving salt), and that in no case can be done (for example, working with fire).

The same can apply to videos in which people perform deadly actions: climb high-rises, run across rails in front of a train in progress, and so on. Discuss how the authors of such content are guided and how this can end for those who want to repeat.

On the subject: How to control your child on the Internet: 6 important tips for parents

3. Viruses

You taught your child to use a search engine, and now he can not only search the Internet for essay materials, but also download music or games. And now the computer starts to slow down and freeze, and on the screen advertising banners blocking all the work appear (and it’s good, if not with adult content).

  • What to do

First, be sure to install an antivirus on your computer.

Secondly, ask your child what they need to download: pictures, music, videos? Together, make a list of sites you trust. Agree that without you, the child downloads something only from there, and if in doubt, let him ask you first. Think about what kind of content your child consumes. If you yourself watch TV shows on Netflix or listen to music on Google Play, create a separate profile for your child. A good option is to get a family subscription.

4. Adult Content

Children fall into such content is not always consciously. It happens that a child was looking for pictures with trains, and came across a photo with a corpse on the rails. And sometimes a child realizes that you can find anything on the Internet, and begins to search for something purposefully, for example, candid photos and videos.

  • What to do

I advise you to consider the age of the child. For children under 9 years of age, block adult content using parental control programs. If the children are older, the choice is yours: either continue to block, or remove control and take risks. This does not mean that you should close your eyes and let the child look at anything. This means - to understand that a child may accidentally or intentionally find adult content, and to realize that his psyche is mature enough to digest it.

The minimum that I advise you to do is set the safe search mode on Google and the safe mode on YouTube. And from time to time, view your browsing history.

And of course, it’s worth talking to the child about it.

5. Fraud

If the child began to ask more often to put him money on the phone, perhaps he accidentally signed up for a paid service that removes them daily. Or maybe a page on a social network was stolen from him.

Children do not always realize that intangible things - passwords, keys - have real value. This is what Internet scammers use. Getting hit is pretty simple:

Send SMS with a message to a specific number. This is enough to activate a paid service.

Transfer bank card details. This is enough to make a purchase on the Internet. By the way, even if you have configured confirmation of purchases from your phone, it is not required for foreign stores - money can be debited without confirmation.

Enter the password on an open Wi ‑ Fi network or on someone else’s computer. If you neglected security measures, your account on social networks or mail can be taken away.

  • What to do

Do not give your bank cards to children, even if you need to pay for a purchase agreed upon with you in advance. All payments on game accounts must also be made only by an adult!

Agree that you will regularly check the connected communication services on the child’s phone. Teach your children to create strong passwords for their accounts (not 12345 and qwerty) and explain why they should not be shared even with friends.

On this topic: Personal experience: how to raise a child without depending on the screens and not going crazy

6. Contacts with strangers

At the beginning of the school year, someone who appears to be your new classmate writes your child on social networks and asks you to provide your home address to go to school together. Such a "classmate" can be anyone. For example, for adults who are planning an abduction and for this they find out the address and route to school.

Or the child decides to take a tour around the house to put on YouTube, and in the video, expensive equipment, jewelry and so on are perfectly visible. After watching such a video, an attacker will be able to draw up a diagram of the apartment and plan the robbery.

  • What to do

Keep track of who the child is talking to on social networks. Explain that the real photo on the avatar does not mean that the person is real.

Listen to the children. If a child asks five times to go to the cinema with him, and you are always busy, at some point he will stop “pulling you”. And in this case, he may be very happy with the support of a stranger on the Web.

If you notice that a child is regularly chatting with someone, talk about it only as calmly as possible: “How did you meet? In your opinion, can he be trusted? Have you seen each other offline? ”The worst reaction is to attack, having convicted the child of such communication, and to scold. It will close and will not tell you anything else. If a child does not respond to a calm conversation and continues to correspond with someone who seems suspicious to you, I strongly advise you to go to a child psychologist and consult what can be done.

Conclusions

  • From time to time, discuss the dangers that your child may face online. Listen to his opinion, share yours. It is useful to watch together the videos that the child likes and discuss them calmly, without condemnation.
  • Spend time in person with your child - without brothers, sisters and a second parent. It is important for children at times to stay only with mom or only with dad. Do something interesting together: go to the cinema, take an excursion, take a day trip or just take a walk along the new route.
  • Follow digital hygiene: install antivirus, parental control programs, check your browser history. If this causes resistance in a child, explain that it is your parental right. When he grows up and lives separately, he will have his own rules, but for now you will determine the scope.

The Internet is a truly toxic environment, but completely protecting children from it is not an option. It is better to build a trusting relationship so that the child can talk with you about everything that bothers or bothers him.

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